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Brief Beginning

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tim-brief-taleAs a gay man, I have loved underwear as far back as I could remember. As a child of the 80’s, before the internet, the only sexual outlet I had was the J.C. Penny’s catalog, turning to the underwear section. I would stare at the pictures for hours and always looked forward to the new catalog coming out.

Growing up, I was stuck wearing the cheapest tightie whities my mother could find. I hated them lol. I drempt of the day I could wear something colorful, sexy and fun. To this day, Droopy tightie whities are a boner killer for me

I remember the very first pair I purchased. The drug store in town had mens bikini briefs on sale. I had the money and for a several days I would go in and look at them. When I looked at them my heart raced, because to me, it was like buying a porn movie. (I was 8 or 9 at the time). Finally I worked up the nerve to purchase a pair. I selected a grey pair. I was flushed and my heart was pounding. Looking back at it, I really had no reason to be scared, but I was. I snuck them home and couldn’t wait to put them on.

I remember putting them on and was looking at myself in the mirror, admiring them on me, and how “brave” I was. Just then there was a knock on the bathroom door, I was being told we were going out for dinner. I immediately put my pants on and raced out for dinner. The entire evening all I could think of was the sexy grey bikini briefs I was wearing.

After that, I started my first “collection”. I would buy any underwear I could find, that were not tightie whities. Colored briefs, bikinis and boxers. I hid my collection in an old car my father had, thinking it would never be found. My “collection” was maybe 25 pair and I loved them.

One day I came home and found that my father had sold the old junker, and worse yet, found my “collection”. He was mad and I was scared. All my brothers and I got yelled at about the underwear he found and the box with my treasures disappeared.

As time went on, and I got my own place and started to buy my own underwear, there were no cheap tightie whities to be found.

Now, my collection numbers more than 200 pair of underwear. I have every type made now. Depending on my mood depends on what I wear. Some days boxers are the right choice. Sometimes briefs and even thongs and jocks.

My new “collection” takes up three drawers in my dresser. I also love swimwear and lycra/spandex gear. Tight running pants, leggings, compression shorts and wrestling singlet’s are a separate part of my “collection”.

Over the past 25 years, I have purchased at least 1000 pair of underwear. A lot for me, but also as gifts for boyfriends and friends. I have tried countless brands, styles and cuts and I’m always looking to try new brands and styles.

Most of my friends ask me for advice when it comes to buying underwear, and I am always willing to take them underwear shopping. It’s kind of scary that there are gay men out there who don’t put much thought in the MOST important piece of clothing a man wears.

The single most attractive thing about a man, in my opinion, is seeing a man in his underwear. It never gets old to me. When I am out and about and see a hot guy, my first thought is “what underwear is he wearing”. I always look for a hint of his choice for the day. A brief line along his butt, a boxer line on his leg, Or a hint of the waist band if he bends over.

NOTE: Tim is one of our newest guys and we welcome him on to the site you’ll hear a lot more from him!

Cal. Lifestyle #3Go Softwear is one of those companies I love the guys behind. I got my first pair in 2002 I think. Long before UNB. I have gotten the chance to get to know them over the last few years. Here is how they started the company

What made you start Go Softwear? Greg (the company founder) got  the idea when he attended Pepperdine University in Malibu, CA.  During one of their groups discussions at the business school, the subject of the success of the women’s wonder bra (a novel and popular garment in the mid 1990’s) came up. A light bulb went on in his head and said “why don’t men have anything for enhancement? in 1996 he started the Go Softwear line. It began with that report he did in class.

He saw there was nothing like that in the market, now enhancement is common themes. He developed the initial collection with 5 underwear designs with padding and 3-4 tank tops. Then started to shop it around in the LA boutiques and got it CAL. LIFESTYE #4started. It then evolved into colors and more!

Some of the challenges for them were different. Underwear was a novel product. It was not colorful, underwear back in the day when it was black/white/grey and it wasn’t easy getting the buyers to sell in the store. Enhancement was a little too novel for them to sell to their customers. Some buyers saw the line as something they needed to have to expand their underwear section. For those who didn’t understand it they had to educate the stores on the products. It was getting them to try it. Once they tried it they saw it sold well.

I asked them what some of the biggest surprises were. The biggest one was when they started getting reorders from Boutiques. We knew there was something different the reorders confirmed their initial thoughts that there was a market for their undies. They knew it would take off in the bigger market outside of the LA market. Feedback from customers and buyers allowed them to get ideas on how to improve and grow the biz.

Some of their best sellers over the years are: Enhancement body shapers, super padded, M Body enhances (new collection) does very well well on their site and stores that carry the Go Softwear Brand. California Colors and American Jock also does very well. American jock is athletic. Jock in shorts, which are gym shorts that has a built in jock.

I also asked them how the market has changed since the benign. Market has changed since 1996 and radically in the last 5-6 years. More competition, some do a great job and some are just a water downed version of other companies. It’s has grown amazingly over the last few years. It’s a Saturated from the brand perspective. its not easy to produce a brand from design, production to retailing. A lot of compeition, foreign sourcing, and a big selection.

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My “Brief Beginnings” were in no way ever planned to becoming a Men’s Underwear Designer.  I always knew I wanted to be a designer.  I was sketching since I can remember – and at the at the age of seven I remember drawing my favorite cartoon characters or super hero’s and then changing their costumes in my sketch.  Wonder Woman would have a purple costume rather than a red one.

Things like that is why I geared my studies at school towards Fashion Design, and took summer classes at The Delaware Art Museum and Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia.  (It was a Girls School, but they allowed boys during the summers).  When I graduated from High School I went on to get my BFA at Parson’s School of Design in New York City.  I’ve always wanted to design glamorous evening gowns or red carpet dresses for celebrities.  (My cousin has taken that part over – Dennis Basso).

After Parson’s I worked for Joseph Abboud as an assistant designer in his licensing division.  I was (and still am) in awe of Joseph, and he took a liking to me and my sketching ability.   He would always have me sketch to frame as gifts for friends – and do illustrations for his biography “Threads.”

In the licensing division at Joseph Abboud I was able to work on many different categories; Women’s Sportswear, Home Furnishings, Shoes, belts, bags, Outerwear and also Men’s loungewear and underwear.  It was the perfect job for a designer right out of school.  I got to have a hand in designing every product category.  After three years I heard about a job at Tommy Hilfiger in Men’s underwear and loungewear.  I was intrigued to know one product inside and out. To know every detail – rather than dabble in a variety of different products (grass is always greener syndrome.)  I was intrigued.

I moved to Tommy Hilfiger, where I spent the next five years working on Men’s underwear, loungewear and eventually socks.  The underwear business really intrigued me.  It was actually very challenging.  There are only so many things you can do to a pair of underwear to make it “new” each season.  I loved the challenge.  I absorbed as much as I could about the industry and the product.

We worked closely with JOCKEY underwear, whom at the time was the licensee of Tommy Hilfiger Underwear.  In time, Tommy would launch a collection based out of Europe with a European Licensee called Schiesser.  I learned from the best, two power-house brands that have been around for over 100 years.  I learned about the product and also learned how different countries and communities require different attributes.

I wasn’t ready to leave Tommy Hilfiger after five years – but a friend of mine heard of a position at 2(X)IST.  I adored the 2(X)IST brand, and thought it would be the perfect next evolution  in my career.

I remember being really impressed with how extensive the underwear offering was when I first started at 2(X)IST, and how impeccable the quality and construction was.  I wasn’t sure I had what it takes to design so many collections of….well….just underwear every season.  Again, I loved the challenge.

This year will mark my tenth year at 2(X)IST.  Each year has been better than the previous. I am still continuing to learn.  I still feel like we push the boundaries and bring something new to the table.  I love what I do. I love the craft. I love the industry and I respect the competition.  It is magical to me.

The 2(X)IST brand has grown and is continuing to grow in many different catagories.  My position here feels like it is changing yet again, and morphing into overseeing new product categories.  We launched swimwear 2 years ago, we have socks and the no-show ped and this year we will launch Activewear that we teased the public with in our fashion show this past October.  The brand continues to grow into exciting new ventures and so my “Brief Beginnings” have proven to be all too fruitful. I am blessed and thankful everyday, and I am most thankful to have communities, enthusiasts and friends such as yourselves at UNB whom are interested in it all.

Thank you for asking about my “Brief Beginnings” and I am excited to share all that’s new to come with the 2(X)IST brand.

 

Koala-brief-beginningWe all love hearing stories on how companies got their start. This one is about one of the wildest companies on the market. Koala is synonymous for fetish/erotic wear! They are the top of every list we get. It spans every market and every type of guy. I got a chance to talk to Michael the owner about how the company started and here is their story.

Koala started over 20 years ago because Michael the owner couldn’t get the swimwear he wanted. The styles he had in mind were not available from anyone on the market. This made him start having his swimwear custom made. While laying out in them he asked himself if other guys would like them? We definitely know the answer to that question.

He was a bit apprehensive about being able to create a business in swimwear. This was in the 90’s and men’s swimwear wasn’t as big as it is now. He got some designs made and started asking guys if they liked them. As it turns out many guys wanted the swimwear. He started Koala and it grew.

The basic premise of the company was he wanted really hot swimwear for the beach and that progressed into underwear and finally fetish wear. Like many underwear companies it first hit the gay market but grew. Now the brand is sold to men and women, gay and straight.

Some of the biggest challenges over the year are having the quality of the product that he expected. Going from making custom made items to mass production was a bit different then producing just a few suits. He tried over seas sourcing and wasn’t happy with the results. If they couldn’t make them in LA and have control he would rather not do it. He expected the quality to be amazing and the craftsmanship be top notch. So today the manufacturing is done in the US in the LA area.

Koala has a lot of the same people working today as they did when they opened. All the seamstresses, pattern makers and production crew. They tried going back  over seas after a few years with samples, but they weren’t spectacular. However, they decided to keep production in LA. He said he loves working with the same people over the years because when a new idea comes into mind it’s easy to have the staff know exactly what you are thinking and makes for a great product.

I asked what the biggest surprise was in starting and running the company. Variety and types of customers. He loves underwear and swimwear like the rest of us. But not knowing if there were other guys out there who are into the scene. He was surprised at how big the community turned out to be. It includes women and men, both gay and straight men.

Guys have a lot of catching up to do in the women’s market. Women are willing to show each other underwear. They wear g-string to the locker room. Size and shape doesn’t matter. It’s totally second nature. It hasn’t evolved that way to the men’s market. We see more varied underwear styles at the gym now but not many guys wear them. They don’t wear thongs and g-strings. Women have no issues. If men think it would be ok they would be into wearing them in a minute. They would wear what ever.

Best sellers over the years: What styles are best selling are the Cock shaped suits as a group, Also the Male Transformation ones. Tons of guys wear them as underwear. They always call and ask if it will make them look feminine. Usually when they buy them they become a fetish item for them.